Loose-leaf binder



Jungs, 1941. J, SCHADE 2,244,176

LOOSE-.LEAF BINDER Filed April 24, 1939 AfA 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 amv WA DEPatented June 3, 1941 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER .lohn Schade, Holyoke, Mass.,-assignor to National IBlank Book Company, Holyoke, 'Mass., acorporationof Massachusetts ApplicationAprl 24, 1939, Serial No. 269,556

(Cl. "M9-17.)

3 Claims.

This invention relateslto an improved loose-leaf binder, particularly ofthe type .used to hold loose-leaf sheets of the visible indexbookkeeping kind. In such binders, the user, in addition to inserting4new sheets, frequently wants to vshift some of the visible index sheetslongitudinally of the back to change, for instance, their chronologicalor alphabetical order. According to the present invention, the binder is`constructed to provide for the utmost flexibility and simplicity ofaction for this purpose and at the same time has numerous novel featureswhich render the structure more satisfactory and serviceable Aover aperiod of rough use such as these binders are subjected to. l

The `manner in which my structure `has been arranged to accomplish the.desired results -can best be understood from a reading of thespecification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is a top plan View of the binder, with ,the covers opened andbroken away to save drawing space, andshowing the prong sets in one ofseveral overlapped ,positions determined by a novel latch mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional `View online 2-2 of` Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 -is a topfplan viewof a sufficient part of the right hand portionof Fig. 1 .to show howthe prong sets maybeofset longitudinally an amountequal to the distance betweena pair `,of binding holes in -an indexsheet;

Fig. Y4 -is a view ofthe parts-of Fig. 3 but illustrating how theseparts lmay Vbe manipulated so that theprong sets are oiset:longitudinally twice the-space between binding holes;

Fig. 5 -is'an enlargedsectional view on-line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and showsdetails of part ofthe mechanism used to lcontrol the amountoflongitudinal offset given the prong' sets;

Figs. 6 to 8 are fragmentary top plan views -of a .portion of I,thestructure of .'Fig. .1 showing fthe various overlapped `positions toAwhich `the pr'ong sets may move under control of a novel "latchmechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a. side elevation taken on line ll- .9 of Fig. 2.

Referring `first to Figs.` 1, 2 and 9, the `binder consists generally ofa pair of Z'shaped angular back plates 5 and B, having `their shortdepending legs 3 pivoted together by means of a vpiano hinge at v1. Thelong upstanding legs 8 "and '9 terminate in a series of spaced Vhingeeyes ill towhich are pivoted covers l2 and V43 b y means of hinging`strips 14 Aand I'5 which "have hinge eyes 'I6 that are complementary tohinge eyes l l and `pivotally connected thereto as indicated.

Secured to each of the long legs 8 andv 3 of plates 5 and 6 by anysuitable means is an anchor plate Il and a hood ,member I3, this last toprevent :the binder from scarring surfaces on which it maybe used and toadd a finished appearance. Each anchor plate l1 has a series of hookshaped tongues which extend laterally from the top edge ofthe platesthrough the spaces between hinge eyes Il to form a track for the prongcarrying p1ates'2l and 22, see Fig. 2. As this last figureshows, plate2| is a simple flat plate which lies parallel tothe long leg 8 of plate5 and carries a series of prongs 23 which extend in an arc over theplates 5 and 6 adjacent a similar set of prongs 24 .carried by plate 22,which lies ,parallel toleg 9. However, plate V22 is angularin crosssection with the short leg of the angle overlying the flat surface ofplate 6.

`In the binder herein shown plate 2| is stationary, being secured `toleg 8 in any suitable manner as for instance by spot welding, Whileplate 22` may slide longitudinally `in the Ytrackway formed bythe`tongues '2,0 of the right hand anchorplate I1.

As will be plain from the description thus far, the overlap ofrprongs 23and 24 can be varied by pivoting the Z ,plates 5 and 6 around hinge 'lwhile ,their longitudinal position may be varied by `sliding plate 22.Among the features oi my invention are the novel means vused to controlthese positions of the prongs to produce a new exibility :andpositiveness of action not heretofore available.

As appears in Figs. 1 and 2, overlying short leg 25 ofplate 22 andsecured thereto is the short angular rack Vmember having its toothedportion extending downwardly through a slot 3l inrplate 6. Rack member30 has its teeth in engagement with pinion lteeth 32 on pinion 33pivoted at 34 to theibottom of plate 6. As is clear from Fig. 1, Aprongcarrying plate 22 may be moved longitudinally to displace `the prong set24 by merely rotating pinion 33 about its pivot 34, the depending armYof the rack 30 by cooperation with `slot 3| serving to guide one end ofthe lower edge'of plate 22 and the other end of the lower edgebeingpguided by clip 35 riveted as shown to plate 6.

In addition to the pinion teeth 32, pinion 33 has a set of gear teeth38, see Fig. 1, which are formed on a larger radius than teeth 32. The

engaged by a series of slots 39 cut in the depending skirt of an angularslide 40 which overlies plate 6, see Figs. 1, 2 and 9, and may slidebetween limits thereon parallel to the axis of the central hinge l.

At its forward' end, slide 48 has a pair of downwardly directed tabs 4|struck out of the material of the slide, the tabs extending through aslotl 42 cut in plate 6 with their extremities rebent to underlie thebottom surface of plate 6 and secure the forward end of slide 48 to saidplate, see Fig. 3. Towards its lower end, slide 40 has secured to it apin 43 extending through a slot 44 likewise cut in plate 6. As is shownin Fig. 5, this pin 43 has an enlarged head underlying plate 6 tomaintain this end of the slide 46 in sliding contact with plate 6.

Comparing Figs. 1 and 4, it will be seen that slots 42 and 44 in plate 6are dimensioned so that they act to limit the motion of slide 40 to thetwo extreme positions to which pinion 33 can be moved by cooperation ofgear teeth 38 and slots 39 (see also Fig. 9). As will also be apparentfrom these figures, when the slide 48 passes from its normal position ofFig. 1 to its maximum displaced position of Fig. 4, the prongs24 havebeen displaced longitudinally from prongs 23 a ldistance correspondingto twice the distance between adjacent binding holes in the bindingsheets. To make this clear, note in Figli therdistance between lines Xand Z which shows the displacement of prong 24 from the position of Fig.1, while the distance X--Y is the normal distance between binding holesin the index sheet.

While the mechanism just described provides for a longitudinal prongoffset equal to twice the distance between binding holes in indexsheets, I have found that normally an offset just ,equal to the distancebetween binding holes is the'most likely to be used. I therefore haveprovided a specially constructed handle which not .only serves as aconvenient means to shift slide 49 but also is constructed so that itmay be rocked to two different positions, in the first of which itlimits the motion of slide 49 to half its normal or full stroke so thatthe longitudinal displacement of prongs 24 is only equal to the distancebetween binding holes, and in the second of which it allows for the fullstroke of slide 48. Referring to Figs. 3 to 5 and 9, this handleconsists of a fiat angular member 58 having a vertical offset 58 at oneend and pivoted' as at 5| near'the lower end of slide 49. A short leafspring 52 is riveted to member 50 and holds a small ball bearing 53which can pass freely through a hole 5 4 in member 59, into either oftwo seats 55 kand 56provided in slide 49, see Fig. 5. At the lower end,slide 49 likewise has a vertical stop 5'! and a rebent keeper 58 formedintegrally from-the lmaterial of the slide as shown. This stop T and thekeeper 58 limit the rotation of member 50 about pivot 5| to the twopositions shown by Figs. 3 and 4, while the ball 53 actsas a springpressed detent to maintain the member 5|) in either posi-Y tion. f

Member 59 has a nose 59 formedg-at'itsforward end and in the position ofmember 59V shown in Fig. 3 this nose overlies a slot 68 in slide 46.Extending upwardly through slot Suis a tongue 6| struck up from. plate5. Therefore, if the handle 50 is left in the position of, Fig. l andthe slide 49 moved by grasping vertical offset 58', the nose 59 contactsthe tongue 6| and the motion of the slid'e is limited toene-half themaximum, the prongs being displaced only the distance From the above itis clear that the user is allowed a choice of the amount of longitudinaldisplacement to be given the prongs and can control the displacement bymerely shifting the handle 58. This feature makes the binder extremelyexible for rapid use in shifting operations of more than one kind ordistance and when combined with the latch mechanisml about to bedescribed' andy which controls the overlapped relation of the prongsetss results in various desirable binder manipulations being possibleand more conveniently than heretofore.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 5 and 9, plates 5 and 6 are notched midwaybetween their ends as at 79 and 'll to provide for a pair of. latchmem-bers l2 and '13 having gooseneck extensions of the same curvature.As is indicated, member 72 is xedly attached to the bottom of plate 5and has its gocseneck portion extending through slots 19 and 'H andunderlying plate 6, see Fig. l. Latch member 13 is, on the other hand,pivotally connected as at 'F4 to the bottom of plate 6 and has itsgooseneck portion extending to and underlying plate 5. Along one edge,member 73 has a nose or dog I5 which can engage a series of shoulders16, l1, '18, formed as serrations along the adjacent edge of member'12.to allow the plates 5 and 6 to be separated different amounts andthereby vary the overlap of the prongs 23 and 24. On the opposite edge,member 'I3 has a pair of cam surfaces I9 and 8|] which are constructedto cooperate with the top edge 8| of slot 19 and act as an escapement ina manner to be described. To rotate mem-ber 13 and thereby release thelatch mechanism, a trigger rod 85 is provided which is in the form of along nat bar with. oppositely disposed offset ends 86 and 8l',.and which`is positioned to be parallel and inside of the depending leg 3.0i',plate 6, see Figs. 1 and 5. Trigger rod 85 is dimensioned so that theoffset 8l lies beyond the lower end of the binder to form a convenienthandle. Offset 86 protrudes through a` slot cut in the depending leg 3of plate 6, see Fig. 9, and forms a support for that end of the trigger.Where the trigger rod underlies latch member 13, it has an upstandingintegral lug 88 which passes through a hole in member 13. A spring 89(see Figs. 5 and 9) is tensioned about depending lugs 9|! and 8| onplate 6 and' has its end engaging a shoulder 92 on trigger rod 85, thespring being wound to force the trigger member 85 in a direction toengage members 12 and '13. Thus the user may disengage latch member 13from member 12 yby simply pressing on offset 87, the upper end of notch1| in plate 6 being provided' with a slot 93 located on the dependingleg 3 to allow for the motion of member 13, see Fig. 9.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 6 to 8, I will explain lin detail how thelatch mechanism operates and what the function of cam surfaces 'I9 andis. In Fig. l, the book is in the position to which it will fall due toits own weight when the covers are opened. Usually this rposition isinconvenient for writing, as it is diicult to get at the sheets neartheir binding edges. The user may then push oifset 81 (see Fig. 1)sufliciently to lift nose l5 clear of shoulder 'I6 and then release thepressure. As the two plates start to separate under their own weight,cam 19 hits the top edge 8| of slot 18 and aids the spring 89 (seeFig. 1) lin forcing nose 15 downwardly in a direction to strike shoulder11 and the separation stops with the prongs overlapped as in Fig. 6, theprong sets 23 and 24 each having moved the distance from A to B. rIlhenif it is desired to still further decrease the overlap, offset B1 isagain pushed `and when nose 15 clears shoulder 11, `cam B forces thenose in a direction to abut shoulder 13 as shown in Fig. 7, the prongsmoving from B to C. If the offset is :again pushed to release the latchthe lprongs will open to the position shown by Fig. 8 where the variousleaves on the prongs will be nearly flat and new ones can easily beinserted.

In this final position of Fig. 8, the curved edge 86 of member 13 infront of nose 15 `contacts a similar edge 91 of member 12. Then 'allthat is necessary to close the book is to manually rotate the ,platesand E towards each other around hinge 1, the edge 9S of member 13sliding over the various shoulders 18, 11 and 16 of member 12.

It is to be noted that in describing the above operation it has beenstated that the offset 81 is pushed and released because the shape ofcam surfaces 19 and 8D is such that while they force the nose 15 in adirection to ,contact the various shoulders, they are eiiective onlypart of the Way, that is they stop contacting the top edge 8l while thenose 15 and shoulder 16, 11 or 18 are still slightly separated.Therefore, if the offset 31 were held inward, the plates 5 and 6 wouldpass at once to the Wide open position of Fig. 8.

Thus, in eiect, these surfaces 19 and 80 aid the spring 89 in bringingthe nose 15 into contact with shoulders 11 and 18 and act like anescapement to assist the spring 89 in forcing the latch mechanism to actcorrectly. It is, of course, evident that the particular latch mechanismshown can be varied in many ways by those skilled in the art, once itsprinciples are understood and I do not therefore wish to limit myself tothe exact form shown, that being merely a preferred embodiment. Forinstance, if it is found desirable to mal-:e the escapement effective to.positively force the nose 15 into eng-agement with shoulders 11 and 18,all that is necessary is to change the shape of cam surfaces 19 and 3!so that they bear on the top edge 8| until the nose 15 contacts theshoulders 11 `and 13. Such a structure will not, however, be as`flexible as the preferred form .because in changing the overlap of theprongs from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that of Fig 8, the oifset 81will have to be depressed three times.

The flexibility of this binder can now be understood because as it willbe remembered, the offset relation of the prongs can be varied at anytime independently of the overlapped relation and the amount ofvariation which is produced can be varied. Therefore, assuming that thebinder is positioned with the plates :as shown in Fig. 6 which is thenormal writing position as previously explained, if the book is not toofull of index sheets the prong sets 23 and 24 may clear the bindingholes in these sheets which are impaled on each others .prongs andwhatever offsetting or varying or chronological order is desired ,can bedone in this position.

If the book is full, it is a simple matter to touch the offset 81 toopen the book to the position of Fig. '1 and the prongs 23 and 2li willjust barely overlap allowing for index shifting with a maximum number ofbound sheets.

On the other hand, the book can be opened to the position of 8 from anyother position, i. e,. the position of Figs. 1, 6 and '1, by simplylpressing on offset 81 and not releasing the pressure and thisindependently of the oiiset relation of the prongs.

It is, of course, clear that the number of shoul- -ders 16, 11 and 18 onfixed latch member 12, as well las their position, :can be varied toprovide for different angular ,positions of plates 5 Iand E, and thatthe escapement means provided by cam surfaces 19 and Si! can be madeeifective in case the number of notches is increased by providingsuitable additional cam surfaces.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have produced a binder for thepurpose described which, though considerably involved in mechanicaldetails, has been so arranged that its operation from the standpoint ofthe user is much simpler and allows more rapid work.

What I .claim is:

l. A binder having a back portion including two hingedly connectedplates, -a set of prongs supported at the side edge of each plate,latching mechanism for controlling the angular relation of the hingedlyconnected plates and .consist- .ing of a lixed latch member on one platehaving a series of notches along one edge, a pivoted latch member on theother .plate having `a dog adapted to engage said notches in said fixedlatch member, a spring-pressed operating member adapted to releasablyhold said pivoted latch member engaged with said fixed latch member, andadditional means on said pivoted latch memn ber to cooperate with one ofsaid plates and force the pivoted member towards engagement with the xedmember when passing from one notch to another.

2. The structure of claim 1 with said lastnamed means lconsisting of camsurfaces on said .pivoted latch member cooperating with one of saidlplates for the purpose described.

3. A binder having a back portion including two hingedly connectedplates, a set of prongs supported at the side edge of each plate,latching mechanism for controlling the angular relation of the hinged-lyconnected plates and consisting of a fixed latch member on one platehaving a fiat gooseneck `portion with a series of notches along oneedge, a pivoted latch member on the other plate having a flat gooseneckportion of the same curvature as said first-mentioned goosene-ckportion, :and having a dog adapted to engage said notches in said fixedlatch member, a springpressed operating member adapted to releasablyhold said pivoted latch member engaged with said fixed latch member, andadditional means on said .pivoted latch member to cooperate with one ofsaid plates and force the pivoted member into 4engagement with the fixedmem-ber when passing from `one notch to another.

JOHN SCHADE.

